The Office was born on British TV in 2001, and like all the best comedy shows, it had a brief but blazing burst of glory with just 14 episodes made before it was discontinued in 2003. It was reborn, with humor adjustments, in other places like France and the U.S. [3], however. Now comedian Ricky Gervais [4], who co-created the original series with Stephen Merchant, is bringing the show's oily, difficult, unlikeable and yet strangely loveable office anti-hero David Brent back to life on his YouTube Channel [5]. It starts today [6], with a special clip in honor of Red Nose Day, for the Comic Relief charity.

New sketches will arrive later, alongside original clips from the classic TV series, and content from Gervais' upcoming The Muppets sequel, with Tina Fey. The Guardian quotes Gervais praising YouTube's global non-traditional-TV format, which allows "new content to be made available without the limitations of schedules and international restrictions.

Viewing habits are changing. And anyone who doesn't realise that will be left behind." Gervais is no stranger to digital broadcasting, and has previously converted [7] a successful podcast into an HBO TV series in 2010.

In a bid to reinvent the service as a revenue-generating video channel to challenge TV, Google [8] has been pushing YouTube's evolution toward original content for several years now. This has included moves like funding 60 TV-like channels [9] in late 2012.

[Image: Flickr user justinhoch [10]]